Floo powder is a glittery, silver powder used by witches and wizards to travel through the Floo Network. The Network connects most wizarding households and buildings. This powder was invented in the 13th century by Ignatia Wildsmith.

Contents

History

Floo powder was invented by Ignatia Wildsmith in the thirteenth century. Its manufacture is strictly controlled. The only licensed producer in Britain is Floo-Pow, a company whose Headquarters is in Diagon Alley, and who never answer their front door.[2]

No shortage of Floo powder has ever been reported, nor does anybody know anyone who makes it. Its price has remained constant for one hundred years: two Sickles a scoop. Every wizard household carries a stock of Floo powder, usually conveniently located in a box or vase on the mantelpiece.[2]

The precise composition of Floo powder is a closely guarded secret. Those who have tried to ‘make their own’ have been universally unsuccessful. At least once a year, St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries reports what they call a ‘Faux Floo’ injury — in other words, somebody has thrown a homemade powder onto a fire and suffered the consequences. As irate Healer and St Mungo’s spokeswizard, Rutherford Poke, said in 2010: "It’s two Sickles a scoop, people, so stop being cheap, stop throwing powdered Runespoor fangs on the fire and
stop blowing yourselves out of the chimney! If one more wizard comes in here with a burned backside, I swear I won’t treat him. It’s two Sickles a scoop!"[2]

Description

The powder turns a fireplace's flames harmless and emerald green. It is tricky to use; one must toss a handful of powder into a fireplace connected to the Floo Network, walk into the flames, and state the desired destination loudly and clearly to ensure arrival in the proper location. Otherwise, one could end up at the wrong location which Harry Potter did in 1992.

Transportation by Floo powder is much quicker than by broomstick, but slower than Apparition. However, unlike Apparition, one does not require a licence to use Floo powder. It can also be used when one places only a part of their body into the flames, to partially transport themselves to another location for direct communication.

Molly Weasley kept her household stock of Floo powder in a flowerpot on her mantle.

Behind the scenes

In the novels, one must toss a handful of Floo powder onto the flames and when the fire turns green, one must speak the destination and enter the flames. However in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, one stands in the fireplace recites the destination, drops the powder and the growing green flames swallow the traveller and they reappear at the aforementioned destination.